Lavelle Viveiros: While you are speaking with the teachers, take note of the children. Do they look happy? Show up at nap time as well as any other time you please. Ask about their discipline policy. Ask if at nap time all the children are combined in one room or if they nap in their own classrooms. The latter is best. Ask if all the teachers are qualified and if the aides are required to also take early child development courses.
Pattie Vold: It's great that you've been able to find a place that you feel comfortable with. When you were taken on a tour, were you able to drop in the classrooms unannounced or did the teachers know you were coming? While the latter doesn't necessarily mean there's anything wrong, seeing the class "in action" so to speak is the best way to get a feel for how things are run, how happy the children are, and what they are involved in. Our visits are scheduled with the office, obviously, but we never know when they will bring someone by. It! 's nice because the prospective parents are able to see the kids involved in what they're doing and it's less of a distraction because we're always so busy with centers, small group activities, music, etc. that the kids barely notice anyone came in. As a next step, I would see what kind of "visiting" your child can do to the classroom before he starts full time. At our center, new children have a 1 hour visit (where the parent often ends up staying) and a 3 hour visit on another day, where it's just the child. That way, we can see how they adjust and how to better help them transition once they start. It can be really stressful to a child to be "thrown into" a new situation too quickly, even if they're well prepared ahead of time.It's definitely a positive thing that she has a background in speech therapy because she probably naturally does a lot of activities that promote speech and language development (though any good early childhood teacher will do that, as well). Howev! er, Th I'd really caution against is expecting the teacher to ! give the speech services to your son that a practicing speech therapist would. Unless she does something part time outside of her job as a pre-k teacher, her chosen profession is no longer speech therapy and it's not fair to her or the other children to expect that. There's no harm in mentioning your concerns and seeing what she suggests, but I wouldn't go any farther than that as she may feel pressured....Show more
Filiberto Amauty: Wow, i just wrote a similar question about the half days 9-12 pm in preschools...I have been trying my damdest to find my 4 yr old son a preschool with half days, 2-3 days a week in Florida and they are all 5 days a week-8 to 230 pm and i will not send him full time at only 4 yrs old...My son has also, never been in daycare! You are lucky you found one only half days. My son does speech therapy one hour a week privately in my home, his 2 speech therapists come and work with him! Try it out and you will know in a few days if your son is tr! uly happy. Good Luck!...Show more
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